WASHINGTON, Dec. 2 (Xinhua) -- A total of 2,713 COVID-19 deaths were registered in the past 24 hours in the United States, the record daily increase since April, bringing the national tally to 273,181, showed data compiled by Johns Hopkins University.
Meanwhile, the country recorded 195,121 new COVID-19 infections and thus has the highest number of both infections and deaths worldwide.
The number of U.S. COVID-19 patients who currently remain in hospitals has reached 100,226, exceeding the threshold of 100,000 for the first time since the onset of the pandemic, according to the COVID Tracking Project.
"The reality is December and January and February are going to be rough times. I actually believe they're going to be the most difficult time in the public health history of this nation," U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Robert Redfield said during a livestream event with U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation.